- Arm I: Patients receive induction therapy comprising epirubicin IV over 4 hours on day 1 and paclitaxel IV over 3 hours on day 2. Treatment repeats every 21 days for a total of 2 courses. Patients also receive filgrastim (G-CSF) subcutaneously (SC) beginning on day 3 and continuing for 10 days or during course 2 until peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) collection is completed. After completion of induction chemotherapy, autologous PBSCs or bone marrow is collected.